Example
Quote example: what a good quotation looks like
A quote is a priced offer with an expiry date on it. It looks much like an invoice but asks for nothing yet — and the clearer the specification, the fewer arguments later. Here is a filled-in example, what each block is for, and how to send the same thing from Invoice Office.
Your company
Stationsplein 4
6512 AB Nijmegen
Netherlands
VAT NL 8123.45.678.B01
Chamber of Commerce 12345678
Quotation
Q2026-0117
Bill to
Fabrikam Interiors
Jan Jansen
Rotterdamseweg 112
2628 AL Delft
Netherlands
VAT NL 8012.34.567.B01
- Quotation date
- 17 August 2026
- Valid until
- 16 September 2026
- Customer number
- 10428
- Reference
- Reception refurbishment
| Description | Qty | Price | VAT | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Website design | 1 | €450.00 | 21% | €450.00 |
| Copywriting — 6 pages | 6 | €85.00 | 21% | €510.00 |
- Subtotal excluding VAT
- €960.00
- VAT 21%
- €201.60
- Total including VAT
- €1,161.60
This quotation is valid until 16 September 2026. Accepting it in writing is enough to start the work.
What goes on a quote, and why
- A quotation number
- Its own sequence, separate from your invoices, so a quote is never mistaken for a bill. Invoice Office numbers each document type in its own series.
- A validity date
- Prices you quoted six months ago should not still be binding. The expiry date is what closes that off, and it is prefilled for you.
- A specification, not a lump sum
- A line per item with quantities and unit prices is what a customer compares against a competitor, and what stops a dispute about what was included.
- VAT shown separately
- A business customer reads the amount excluding VAT; a consumer reads the total. Showing both means neither is surprised.
- What happens next
- Say how to accept it. When the customer does, mark the quote approved and convert it — the invoice is created from the same lines, so nothing is retyped.
Making one in Invoice Office
Laying a quote out by hand is the slow way to get it wrong. In Invoice Office the numbering, the VAT and the customer's details come from the record you already hold.
- 1
Open Sales → Quotations and start a new quote.
- 2
Pick the customer and check the dates — the expiry date decides how long the offer stands.
- 3
Add the lines with Add line, or Choose products from your catalog.
- 4
Preview, finalize and send. When the customer says yes, mark it approved and convert it into an invoice.
Questions
What is the difference between a quote and an invoice?
A quote is an offer: it prices work that has not happened yet and expires on a date you set. An invoice asks for payment for work already delivered, and it goes into your bookkeeping and your VAT return. A quote does neither until it is converted.
How long should a quotation be valid?
Thirty days is the usual default and the one Invoice Office prefills. Shorten it when your costs move quickly, and say so on the document rather than leaving it open-ended.
Can I turn an approved quote into an invoice?
Yes — mark the quote approved and convert it. The customer, the lines, the quantities and the prices carry across, so the invoice matches what was agreed.